Strap system for an article of footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a strap system having a medial strap, a lateral strap, and a heel strap. The medial strap extends from a proximal end to a distal end selectively attachable to the upper at the lateral side. The lateral strap extends from a proximal end to a distal end selectively attachable to the upper at the medial side. The heel strap has a proximal portion fixed at the heel region and a distal portion selectively attachable to the upper by a heel strap fastener. The strap fastener is operable to attach one of the distal end of the medial strap and the distal end of the lateral strap to the heel strap.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, the article of footwear comprising:
 an upper; 
 a first strap extending from a proximal end fixed at the medial side to a first distal end selectively attachable to the upper at the lateral side; 
 a second strap extending from a proximal end fixed at the lateral side to a second distal end selectively attachable to the upper at the medial side; 
 a heel strap having a first portion permanently fixed to the article of footwear at a heel region, the heel strap permanently fixed along a connecting region that is disposed at a posterior end of the upper, the connecting region extending from a lateral side of the article of footwear to a medial side of the article of footwear, and a second portion selectively attachable to the upper by a first fastener, the first fastener is operable to attach one of the first distal end of the first strap or the second distal end of the second strap to the heel strap; and 
 a support strap, the support strap being coupled to the heel strap and being configured to wrap around an ankle of a wearer of the article of footwear. 
 
     
     
       2. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the one of the first distal end of the first strap or the second distal end of the second strap is disposed between the heel strap and the upper when attached to the upper and the first fastener, and wherein the first distal end of the first strap is attached to the first fastener at the lateral side and the second distal end of the second strap is attached to the first fastener at the medial side. 
     
     
       3. The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the first distal end of the first strap is attached to the first fastener at the lateral side and the second distal end of the second strap is attached to the first fastener at the medial side, and wherein the first distal end of the first strap includes a second fastener and a third fastener disposed on an opposite side of the first strap than the second fastener, the second fastener operable to attach the first strap to the upper and the third fastener operable to attach the first strap to the first fastener. 
     
     
       4. The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the second distal end of the second strap includes a fourth fastener and a fifth fastener disposed on an opposite side of the second strap than the fourth fastener, the fourth fastener operable to attach the second strap to the upper and the fifth fastener operable to attach the second strap to the first fastener. 
     
     
       5. The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first fastener, the second fastener, the third fastener, the fourth fastener, and the fifth fastener is a hook-and-loop fastener. 
     
     
       6. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first strap crosses the second strap at an instep region of the upper when the first strap is attached to the lateral side of the upper and the second strap is attached to the medial side of the upper. 
     
     
       7. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further including an additional strap operable to wrap around an Achilles region of a wearer during use, wherein the additional strap is disposed between the heel strap and the support strap. 
     
     
       8. An article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, the article of footwear comprising:
 an upper; 
 a first strap extending from a proximal end fixed at the medial side to a first distal end selectively attachable to the upper at the lateral side in an attached state; 
 a second strap extending from a proximal end fixed at the lateral side to a second distal end selectively attachable to the upper at the medial side in an attached state; and 
 a heel strap having a first portion permanently fixed from the lateral side to the medial side at a heel region of the article footwear and a second portion selectively attachable to the upper by a first fastener in an attached state, the heel strap rotatable about the first portion, the second portion having a free top end not fixed to the article of footwear, at least one of the first distal end of the first strap or the second distal end of the second strap disposed between the heel strap and the upper in the attached state of the heel strap and the attached state of the at least one of the first distal end of the first strap and the second distal end of the second strap: 
 a support strap coupled directly to the free top end of the second portion of the heel strap, wherein the support strap is integral with the upper and configured to wrap around an ankle of a wearer of the article of footwear. 
 
     
     
       9. The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the first fastener is attached to the upper and a second fastener is attached to the second portion of the heel strap and opposes the first fastener when the heel strap is attached to the upper, the second fastener operable to attach the at least one of the first distal end of the first strap or the second distal end of the second strap to the heel strap, and wherein the other of the first distal end of the first strap or the second distal end of the second strap is operable to be attached to the first fastener. 
     
     
       10. The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the first distal end of the first strap is attached to the first fastener at the lateral side and the second distal end of the second strap is attached to the first fastener at the medial side, and wherein the first distal end of the first strap includes a third fastener and a fourth fastener disposed on an opposite side of the first strap than the third fastener, the third fastener operable to attach the first strap to the first fastener and the fourth fastener operable to attach the first strap to the second fastener. 
     
     
       11. The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the second distal end of the second strap includes a fifth fastener and a sixth fastener disposed on an opposite side of the second strap than the fifth fastener, the fifth fastener operable to attach the second strap to the first fastener and the sixth fastener operable to attach the second strap to the second fastener, and wherein at least one of the first fastener, the second fastener, the third fastener, the fourth fastener, the fifth fastener, and the sixth fastener is a hook-and-loop fastener. 
     
     
       12. The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the first strap crosses the second strap at an instep region of the upper when the first strap is attached to the lateral side of the upper and the second strap is attached to the medial side of the upper. 
     
     
       13. The article of footwear of  claim 8 , further including an additional strap operable to wrap around an Achilles region of a wearer during use, and wherein the additional is disposed between the heel strap and the support strap. 
     
     
       14. The article of footwear of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 the additional strap comprises a first portion directly coupled to the heel strap, a first branch extending directly from the first portion and away from the heel strap, and a second branch extending directly from the first portion and away from the heel strap, wherein 
 the support strap is coupled directly to the additional strap only at the first branch. 
 
     
     
       15. The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the second branch of the additional strap includes a first ankle fastener; 
 the support strap extends from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the support strap is directly coupled to the first branch, and the distal end of the support strap includes a second ankle fastener; and 
 the first ankle fastener and the second ankle fastener are selectively attachable to one another. 
 
     
     
       16. The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the first ankle fastener and the second ankle fastener are complementary components of a hook-and-loop fastener arrangement. 
     
     
       17. The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the support strap and the additional strap are integral with the upper. 
     
     
       18. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the upper includes:
 an interior void; 
 laces, straps, or cords; and 
 a tongue portion extending between the interior void and the laces, straps, or cords. 
 
     
     
       19. An article of footwear having a medial side and a lateral side, the article of footwear comprising:
 a longitudinal axis and a lateral-medial axis 
 an upper; 
 a first strap extending from a proximal end fixed at the medial side to a first distal end selectively attachable to the upper at the lateral side; 
 a second strap extending from a proximal end fixed at the lateral side to a second distal end selectively attachable to the upper at the medial side; and 
 a heel strap having a first portion permanently fixed at a heel region of the article of footwear along a connecting region extending from the lateral side the medial side, and a second portion selectively attachable to the upper by a first fastener, the second portion having a free top end, the first fastener operable to attach one of the first distal end of the first strap and the second distal end of the second strap to the heel strap; 
 a third strap coupled to the heel strap, the third strap having a first portion directly coupled to the free top end of the second portion of the heel strap, and two branches extending from the first portion to form a Y-shape; and 
 a fourth strap extending from only a first of the two branches of the third strap, wherein a distal end of the fourth strap is configured to selectively attach to the second of the two branches. 
 
     
     
       20. The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the heel strap is rotatable about the fixed first portion.